Good Chemistry
by firetrixs
Summary: [Revision Complete] Yukiru: Yuki needs help with his laboratory grade and he goes to an unlikely source, Tohru, that has a unique way of looking at chemistry
1. Tutoring Session

  
Good Chemistry By: Firetrixs

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Disclaimer: Can barely afford ramen noodles, do you think if I owned Fruits Basket I would be thinking about ramen?  
  
I thought that since the sequel to this sucked that this should deserve a second look. So this has been revised. I would like to thank the brave few for reading this originally and actually gave words of praise. So before the story starts, I just want to say thanks and that reviews do make a difference to writers that are just starting out with fanfic writing.

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"I'm sorry, Sohma-san, that is just the way it is. Your lab grade in chemistry has much to be desired. If you don't get some help, I have no choice but to give you a failing grade."  
  
To say the least, Yuki was shocked. This wasn't what he was expecting when he was asked to see his chemistry lab teacher. He knew that his grades in lab were, how do you say, less than desired, but he didn't think that they were this bad. Usually when a teacher asks to meet with him, it is usually to help tutor another student but now the tables have turned.  
  
"Sensei, is there anyone or anything that I can do, to help me out? It will be embarrassing to ace the lecture and fail the lab."  
  
"Well...you could look at the class standings and ask someone that is the proficient and that you feel comfortable with to help you out and tutor you in laboratory techniques."  
  
"Thank you, Sensei." Hanging his head in what many would consider defeat, he makes his way to the closet door where the class standings were posted. He looked at it in disbelief as his gaze made its way up from the bottom of the paper. There was his last name there with the letter grade that he has in the class so far. A "D" I've never gotten a D before in my life and here is one now. The only thing that I ever expected to fail in is normalcy and home economics. Thankfully, I'm a guy so I don't have to take home economics.  
  
His eyes moved their way up the listing and finding Kyo there with a C. So he isn't doing very well either but for him this is normal and since he doesn't plan to do much but go to college to learn how to manage a dojo, he doesn't need to pass this for future reference for his education.  
  
His gaze reaches the top of the list that has a lot of girl names. He really wasn't comfortable asking the girls since most of the girls belonged to "Prince Yuki fan club." The thought of them teaching him let alone asking, made him tremble with disgust and shiver in fear. Flashes of his tutor conveniently and seemingly innocently going behind him to show him the proper aspiration technique and POOF there is a mouse there mingled with my clothes. The girl either shrieking in fear because there was a mouse or Hatori erasing most of the student body's memories with him being shipped back to the main house to attend an all boys academy. Shaking the images and the thoughts of leaving Shirgure's house as weird and perverted it was lately is paradise compared to the main house. He finally made it to the top of the list when his shocked eyes widened as he spotted the name there.  
  
Later that night...  
  
"Honda-san, could you...um...please ...um...tutor me in chemistry lab?"  
  
"Sure, Sohma-kun that isn't a problem, it's just are you sure that you want me to teach you? You are usually the one that is tutoring me. I didn't think that our roles would be reversed."  
  
"I understand Honda-san, its just that there are other people that I could ask but you are at the top of the class standings and I know that you'll be discreet about helping me. I really don't want everyone to know that I am nearly failing lab class."  
  
"Sure, no problem. We can start tomorrow night after school."  
  
"I have a meeting for the student council after school, and you don't you have to go to work."  
  
"That's no problem, just meet me in the kitchen before I start dinner."  
  
"Uh, okay." Yuki was confused at this point. How was he to learn more about chemistry lab at home in the kitchen?  
  
The next night, Yuki did as he was told and met Tohru in the kitchen before dinner with her apron on. Confused still he got out his chemistry books and notes and started to get ready for the session.  
  
"Here you are Sohma-kun, put this one and we'll start."  
  
Yuki looked at the pink apron blinking at it. He slowly put it on and turns to Tohru.  
  
"Sorry about the color but all the other aprons had frills on it except for the apron that Shigure bought for me."  
  
Yuki gagged at the thought of wearing an apron that say "Kiss the Cook, Spank the Dog" on it. He remembered when Shigure gave the completely red Tohru that apron and how Kyo, Hatori and himself beat Shigure up for giving that to her.  
  
"Uh, Honda-san, why are you making me wear an apron and why aren't we at the school's chemistry lab if you are tutoring me for lab?"  
  
"You'll see," was all she would say.  
  
"Sohma-kun, I need you to fill a pot with four cups of water and put the stove on at medium-high and wait for it to boil."  
  
Still puzzled, Yuki did what he was asked, because for Tohru he would do anything he could.  
  
"Now, go measure out a half a teaspoon of salt and a half a teaspoon of sugar and put both in the pot."  
  
Getting more confused, Yuki still did what he was asked. He looked at Tohru starting to feel hurt and betrayed. He asked her for help with chemistry lab not with cooking. Was she mocking him? No, she would never do that, I don't think she knows how to intentionally do anything mean to anyone. He stood there waiting for Tohru to finish her task of dicing the onions. When she finished with the onions she put them in the saucepan that was heating up next to his pot with some oil in it.  
  
"Now, go get the chicken bouillon cubes, read the instructions for how many cubes you have to put in for four cups of water."  
  
Yuki was getting far past hurt and bridging to anger. When is she going to tutor me? Yuki read that there is suppose to be one cube for every cup of water. Yuki opened the bottle and removed four little packaged cubes from the bottle. He started to drop them in when Tohru stopped him.  
  
"Oh, no, don't do that Sohma-kun. Unwrap the cubes and then put them in the pot."  
  
"Well how was I supposed to know that? When are you going to tutor me for chemistry lab, that is what we are suppose to be doing right now, not cooking dinner."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, Sohma-kun I thought that you knew. Usually you can deduce and figure things out long before I can, so I thought that you would understand that cooking is a form of chemistry. My mother always said that there is more than one way to use a skill. I just always thought of chemistry as cooking. I really don't find the labs in chemistry as fulfilling as cooking because there isn't the good feeling of feeding your loved ones or the smiles and dreamy looks on their faces when they eat one of their favorite meals. However, I find it comforting to know that I can use a skill that I know in something that seems total foreign to the skills that I know. That everything is connected and effects one another."  
  
"Huh, how is that? Chemistry involves powders, liquids and atoms, not spices, vegetables and meat."  
  
"Think about it Sohma-kun, what did we do in lab at the beginning of the semester?"  
  
"We made this solution by putting in two powders and it made a precipitate that we had to measure out."  
  
"Yes, that is what I'm talking about. You just put technically three powders into a solution. Although, we aren't going to get a precipitate, the principles and the techniques are similar. Even though, we aren't going to measure what get, we are going to eat it."  
  
He thought about it and he smiled. He didn't think that cooking was going to be he would be tutored in chemistry lab. He reviewed some of the experiments that they have done thus far and as long as you realize that the ingredients or the chemicals that you use are treated a little differently. I guess that is like caring for different kinds of plant, you have to use different techniques in handling and growing plants. The problem is that you can't mix plants together to get a precipitate or else I would be flying through this course. But, if that happened then I wouldn't be able to see how clever Honda-san could be teaching someone about chemistry lab.  
  
"Thank you, Honda-san. What else do I need to do?"  
  
That night, at dinner...  
  
"Oh, my little flower, you out did yourself tonight, especially with that soup that you made ever so lovingly with you delicate little hands."  
  
"Oh, thank you so much, but I didn't make that soup, Sohma-kun did," Tohru smiled pridefully at Yuki because she taught him how to make that soup.  
  
"OH, Tohru-kun, how could you do something like that? You know how bad Yuki- kun is at cooking and cleaning."  
  
"He needed help and I helped him figure connections between school and real- life applications."  
  
They took a sip of the soup, smiled.  
  
The soup was good chemistry.

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Author's Notes:  
  
I would like to thank Beeper whose love is my guiding light in this dark world.  
  
I know some people get annoyed with interspersing of Japanese words in an English fic, but using the word "sensei" is a term of respect and prevents me from making a fool of myself in making a name up.  
  
I didn't use "Yuki says" much if at all in this story mainly b/c their speaking patterns and when addressing people is so distinct that it would be redundant to add it.  
  
The recipe I used was one I use for egg-drop soup, and it is good if I do say so myself. 


	2. Practical

Chemistry Practical  
  
By: Firetrixs  
  
I didn't realize how much this stunk. I apologize for the odor that this fic was giving off. I hope that I fixed most of the problems. I would like to thank the first brave three reviewers for their kind words that has warmed my heart and for taking the little time out of their day to give me their few words of praise. Thank you!  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned Fruits Basket or any of its characters do you think I would be posting on a FAN-fiction site?  
  
Yuki was making the final touches to a very elegant table setting. It's been about a month since their first tutoring session for chemistry laboratory. He chuckled at the ingenuity and cleverness that it took to think of this innovative way to tutor him with cooking for chemistry, he didn't think that Tohru had it in her. 'His inability to do things at full force could be the reason that prior to Tohru's arrival here at Shigure's house that my cooking and housekeeping was dismal. Maybe I should have been the boar instead of being the rat of the zodiac. At least now, just my housekeeping is dismal and my cooking is at least edible.' He made sure that the chopsticks were out, as well as the plates, napkins and cups. He went back to the kitchen to check on the water for the tea and the meal.  
  
About a week ago, he decided he missed the tutoring sessions in chemistry with Tohru so that he had to find a way to have some more time with her. He also wanted to show Tohru the fruits of her labors in not just a grade on a piece of paper but with her taste buds and romantic candlelight solved both aims that he wanted, more alone time with Tohru and to show her that she in fact taught him well. The only way to prove to his "sensei" that he has learned the techniques of cooking and chemistry well is to perform a practical, so to speak. He had to smile at the thought of calling Tohru, his sensei. In more ways than one, she taught him practical things like cooking but different ways of looking at the world and members of his family. The way that she sees the world may be through rose-colored glasses but it is better than through the icy cynicism that he used to. That first time he called her "sensei," she face-faulted followed promptly with denying up and down that she deserved such high praise and respect that is given to the title of sensei. All he could do was smile and chuckle at her because after the first few denials they kind of blend together and she starts to loose coherence in speaking. She just can't take a complement very well, which is funny considering that she showers everyone else with praise and admiration from her own unique point of view.  
  
He thought about all things that he had to be able to pull this evening off for her and naturally himself he had to smirk at all the cunning plans he made and did just to be alone with her. With a well placed call to Shigure's editor saying that Shigure was done with his assigned portion of his new manuscript. He then told Shigure that Mit-chan called and was on her way over to pick up the manuscript in a couple days that was all the sadistic novelist needed to make impromptu plans with my brother, Ayame, to the Sohma hot spring resort. Killing two birds with one stone, his plan with Shigure got his annoying flamboyant brother away for the weekend so that he wouldn't have to be there all alone. Shigure's invitation wasn't extended until after Yuki could get an order for a new dress for Tohru for the evening, the dress that is currently waiting for her in her room. He told Ayame that Tohru needed a new dress for her grandpa's birthday party and couldn't afford the rags that were being sold everywhere else. Flattering his brother was easier than he ever imagined and instantly went to work constructing yet another masterpiece. He couldn't figure out which was easier flattering his brother or getting Kyo out of the house. On the way home from school the other day I placed a comment about enjoying his evening. He looked at me as if I just started growing leeks out of my ears. I told him that Kagura called saying that she is coming over for the anniversary of the first time they held hands in the supermarket and that she was going to convince him that she was the perfect woman to become his wife. After that comment, he started turning ghostly white and mumbling something about a training journey in Tibet or the Andes. So, phase one of the "operation: practical" was in place, an empty house.  
  
Phase two wasn't that difficult at all. After all those months of helping Tohru with the shopping and carrying the bags had taught him about where to go for certain ingredients and what quality to look for in those ingredients. So, that completed phase two of "operation: practical" He checked everything to make sure that nothing was burning or being over- cooked, "I've come too far to mess up now." A quick look at the clock, told him that Tohru would be getting off work soon and if he wanted to walk her home that he should turn down the heat on all the pots and grab his coat.  
  
On his way to pick up Tohru, he mused over some of his lessons he had with Tohru, or rather some of the disasters and humiliations that he endured. His lesson in heat was exceptionally enlightening and mortifying. He never realized the how much heat and it intensity played in cooking and in chemistry. He actually got a complement from his lab professor on his greatly improved technique, "You finally realize that there ARE different heat settings on the Bunsen burner. That was your biggest mistake before, you always used excessive heat when low or medium was best." What the teacher didn't know was that two days prior to the lab, he single-handedly ruined about dozen eggs trying to make an omelet. The smell of burning egg and fire extinguisher wouldn't leave the house for days, to the point that we went out to eat for dinner several nights afterward. Kyo and Shigure have finally stopped teasing him about the 'nuclear holocaust,' thankfully Hatori, Akito or Hiro hadn't been around lately, he didn't know if he could take anymore ribbing on his mistake. Those three never forget about anything embarrassing that one did and he didn't want to continue to re- live that humiliation.  
  
Without even realizing how long was walking and remembering his earlier cooking lessons and tasks that he still had to finish for his self-imposed "practical," he was standing in front of her building just in time for her and Momiji to come out. Tohru giggles at a comment that Momiji had just finished and a wave of guilt and jealously washes over him wishing that he was the reason for her giggles. 'Should I consider Momiji a threat to me and Tohru getting together?' Oh well, I might be responsible for blushes later on tonight. "Thanks Momiji, see you at school," I replied. We walk back home in comfortable silence. When we arrived at the house she runs up to her room to change out of her school clothes. I pray to all that is holy that she takes the hint of the clothes on her bed to wear them and come down to dinner. I really couldn't care less if she wore a canvas bag, she would always be as beautiful to me as a Paris runway model in her prime. However a couple of days ago I realize that she didn't have any "good" clothes for dressing up. She deserves more than what she has but she is always so happy for what she has that she rarely dreams of something more for herself.  
  
I told her earlier that I was going to try and cook for myself tonight which isn't that much of a lie, I just didn't mention that I was going to be cooking for her too. I hear a loud gasp coming from presumably her room and then the tumble, stumble and falling down the stairs. Finally I see Tohru coming back up rubbing her backside. She looks up and sees me and starts with the all too familiar rant. The cute and adorable rant where she says that she doesn't deserve something that fancy and nice and that it is only going to get messed up. "No Miss Tohru, I want you to have it. You need to have something like this for occasions where you need to look nice well not that you don't look nice to begin with. I want you to wear it tonight so that I can see how it looks on you, please," giving her those eyes that rarely is refused. She nodded, now pacified she returns upstairs to put on the dress, she eventually comes down in her new dress with her hair done up with the matching ribbons. My breath is caught in my throat and she looks at the floor trying to get her thoughts together. This dress surpasses the dress that she wore at Ayame's shop. He must have had some kind of inkling as to why I had him design and make the garment. It was a cute light blue dress made of the lightest material that Ayame could find and bell-shaped short sleeves. It came together with a light blue ribbon in the back that would conform to her body shape, showing all of her curves. She looked like a sky sprite coming to take him away and hopefully she would.  
  
Before Tohru had come down for dinner and took away Yuki's ability to breath, Yuki was making the final touches to dinner. He didn't have all of it done because if he had done that, by the time that he and Tohru came back to the house from their walk from Tohru's workplace, their meal would be cold and that most definitely wouldn't do for a romantic evening for two, oh, I mean for a "Thank you" practical. He decided to make a simple dish of sesame seed chicken that he found in the paper earlier in the week. It was a simple recipe that required only five ingredients although it didn't include the rice and the vegetables that he was boiling in a slightly seasoned solution. She sat down getting the hint and waited for my explanation of everything. I finished with putting the meal out on the table and proceeded to get the tea into the pot so that we could have it with our meal. I sat down next to Tohru at the head of the table and her to my right. We just sat there with a silence that screamed, "Okay what happens now." Since this is my surprise I might as well tell her what this is all about, just so I could break this silence. "I wanted to thank you for helping me with my chemistry lab grade. I am doing so much better thanks to you. I now don't have to worry about Kyo beating me having the better grade."  
  
With a smile, "Oh, it was no trouble at all Sohma-kun, after all the help you gave me with my exams it is the least I could do."  
  
"I really wanted to show you how much I have improved."  
  
Then we just sit here staring at the table like it is the most fascinating thing in the world. After a couple of minutes, we started to steal glances at each other, well alright, I was stealing more than she stole from me. I couldn't get over how good she looked in that dress, Ayame has out did himself and I might have to brave giving the compliment. Even though giving Ayame the compliment is going to be heard for the next month in his incessant ramblings but he does deserve the praise for creating a dress that makes Tohru into a heavenly princess that she already was on the inside. But the food is getting cold and that wouldn't do.  
  
"Are we going to eat?"  
  
"Well, I thought that since you made dinner tonight that you were going to serve dinner too. Was I wrong to assume that? I'm so sorry!" She then motions for the rice in the bucket but I stop her.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm not used to this. I've never prepared and served a meal like this before. Usually I would be lucky to be able to digest a meal that I've made. Before when I would cook, Shigure would take his time in coming to dinner so that he would have more time to enjoy a stomach that wasn't throwing a temper tantrum about what was being put in it."  
  
I take the serving spoon and start to spoon the rice into the bowls spilling more of it onto the floor than in the bowl. I expected her to stifle a giggle or something but instead she just looks at me expectantly waiting for her rice. My appreciation and admiration for her skyrocketed, I never realized the skill and patience is involved in making and serving a meal and doing it so effortlessly.  
  
We eat in a companionable silence and I didn't make anymore fool of myself than I had already made with the rice. Surprisingly enough, the meal I made was edible and quite tasty. When we finished, I started to clean up the dishes and Tohru starts helping me. I was about to protest but I reminded myself that I would do the same and besides if I did object to her help she would feel bad for not doing anything for the meal.  
  
After we put the dishes by the sink I asked her if she would like to look at the stars with me and that we would do the dishes later. She nodded and we proceeded to Kyo's usual roust. I helped her up the ladder to the roof trying my best to be a gentleman and allowed myself the simple pleasure of gazing at her calves and not anything higher until she got fully onto the roof. We made our place on the roof and we watched the stars talking about the constellations, and school. All of a sudden, we saw a shooting star streak across the sky.  
  
"Oh look Sohma-kun, a shooting star. We have to make a wish?"  
  
"I guess but I have had most of what I would wish for already tonight, I am only missing one thing."  
  
"Oh, and what is that?"  
  
Teasing, "Oh, I don't know if I should tell you, I might not come true?"  
  
"Oh yeah, right."  
  
Chuckling, Yuki leans over gently capturing her chin, gently turning her head to him and leaning it towards his face coming slowly but ever closer to his. He placed a chaste but ever so sweet kiss on her lips.  
  
Both of them blushing, Yuki says, "Yeah, they taste just like strawberries, just like I wished for." The kiss caused Tohru to blush even more and had a slight shiver but for the life of her she couldn't determine whether it was because of the kiss or the weather.  
  
"Oh, are you cold? We should go in so that you don't catch a cold, Miss Honda."  
  
"Hai." They both go to their separate rooms after Yuki goes downstairs to make sure that the doors were all locked.  
  
The next morning Shigure and Kyo had returned and found all the dishes in the sink. "So, Yuki-kun," with a perverted smirk on his face, "did you have a good evening?"  
  
Smiling, not saying a word he thought, 'Yes and there was some very good chemistry going on too and I don't just mean cooking.'  
  
Okay, this is it for the chemistry fic. I don't think I could come up with anymore. I would appreciate it if someone could give me CONSTRUCTIVE critism on this. I can't get better without it. As for the recipe of the chicken comes from Giant's 5 in 30 recipes. I did learn that in making omelettes, you have to use medium heat in order to slowly cook the egg to get the topping on and to melt any cheese that you have in it. I hope this is what you all want for a sequel. 


End file.
